The present invention relates to the field of directing ventilating air and airflow control in a ventilating, heating or air conditioning system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a structure and method to provide air flow diversion via a detached air deflector within the HVAC housing.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to airflow control in heating and air conditioning units, particularly for automotive purposes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In automotive ventilating systems and in ventilating systems in general, air needs to be directed within the HVAC unit to provide for the correct air volumes and temperatures to desired areas prior to its flow through respective air passageways. The air can be directed via outlet means such as doors, and, specifically, blend doors, so the air proceeds to the desired area under selected design conditions. For example, a design may provide for heated or cooled air so that air flows past, through, over, or by an evaporator and/or a heater core prior to reaching a distribution area or zone at a certain temperature, and finally being distributed to the appropriate areas of the cockpit, passenger compartment or other area of the vehicle.
Ventilating, heating and air conditioning systems in modern vehicles strive to provide a total interior climate control. Such systems maintain a desired temperature by delivering an appropriate mix of ambient, cooled and heated air to the vehicle interior. Such systems conventionally include an air duct, which is selectively connected to the external air or to the interior of the vehicle cabin, a fan for causing the air to flow, and an evaporator unit and a heater unit within the respective ducts for cooling or heat the air. The cold air output from the evaporator unit may be supplied directly to various outlets within the vehicle cabin or some of the cold air may be passed through a heating heat exchanger (heater core) whose heated air output is mixed with the cold air to provide temperature control of the air output to the cabin. Diversion of the cold and/or hot air through the HVAC unit can be controlled by a series of so-called “blend doors”.
In the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,263, issued Nov. 23, 1999, Schwarz, an air flow mixer structure for a vehicle air conditioning system having a first conduit for a first air flow, a second conduit for a second air flow, an opening between said first and second conduits for merging said first and second air flows in a merging region and a common air channel for said merged air flows wherein the mixer structure is disposed in the first conduit for controlling the first air flow, the mixer structure having an air inlet region and an air outlet region opening into said merging region, the mixer structure comprising plural air passages disposed between said inlet region and said outlet region for dividing an air flow at said inlet region into plural air flows at plural said openings into said merging region is described.
In the past, many HVAC systems have been devised wherein multiple blend doors as well as mode doors, were needed to ensure that heated and/or cooled air to different areas of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. Either HVAC systems could have one or two piece molded housings with features for diverting air molded into or as part of the walls of the housing, or multiple doors and levers and links to control the blending functions. A large housing space was thus needed in such systems.
In the prior art, a number of designs are known, with or without deflectors molded into the housing. In order to mold a deflector directly into the housing, however, a much greater space is required within the vehicle itself in order to carry the HVAC. Where space constraints exist, there is a need to provide for a moldable housing with features of a larger unit, for example there is still a need for some sort of air diverting or deflecting device, but one that can function in a smaller packaging area for the overall HVAC housing. The present invention, by providing for a separate, and, preferably, individually molded deflector piece or part that can be subsequently located or placed within the HVAC housing instead of being molded therewith, provides for a highly functioning air conditioning system that fits in a relatively smaller space than that of the prior art.